Unbreakable
by JougenNoTsuki
Summary: Her words were listened to, digested, and treasured.


Title: Unbreakable

Character(s): Lynn Bishop POV: Bobby Goren, Alex Eames

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Dick Wolf and all other rightful owners of the 'Law & Order' brand.

A/N: Lynn Bishop's point of view on working with Bobby Goren, and his relationship with his partner.

A/N II: Updated 11/30/06 // Reworked a little, and I think for the better! And the story as a whole has a new angle. I'm much happier with it!

- - -

Going in I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Detective First Grade Robert Goren, they told me, will be your temporary partner in a temporary reassignment to Major Case downtown. It was really an honor - working beside a detective who had a record like Detective Goren's: 27 convictions out of 27 arrests in Narcotics, and between he and his current partner, the highest solve rate at Major Case. It would be a challenge, I remember telling myself that, it'd be big shoes to fill - but I could do it.

Our first meeting was something less-than memorable. The captain, James Deakins, walked me politely over to the two detectives, the smaller woman to my left typing something into her laptop while her partner cradled his head in his hands as he scanned over some documents. He was a large man, middle-aged with grey creeping up his temples, and a five o'clock shadow dusting his jaw, but not unattractive in the least. But everything about his body language threw me for a loop.

"Detective Bishop, Detectives Eames and Goren." the Captain began, extending his arm towards the blond woman before me.

She smiled at me politely, standing and shaking my hand with kind brown eyes. Her round stomach was already showing it's curves through her loose dress shirt, and I remember thinking that she was an attractive woman herself. But also noticed no ring on her finger. Stepping away from her, I expected to turn and shake hands with my new partner, but he was still seated, glancing up at me from his paperwork as if I were interrupting something important. As a twinge of childish embarrassment came over me, I felt a nudge in my back from the snowy-haired Captain, a smile on his face. What was I to make of that? Looking back, the looming man now faced me. His dark eyes took me in, sizing me up and no doubt calculating just how well I'd do beside him. The frown on his face read: not too well. But quickly it disappeared and he smiled at me cordially.

"Nice to meet you." His voice was soft and kind and not what I expected at all, "Homicide, right Bishop?"

"Y-Yeah." I stuttered, not believing I was so nervous around this man I didn't even know, "The one-five."

He just stepped away and nodded at me through his smile, which had at some point gone from cordial to genuine. And I was completely confused. The Captain took me by the arm and began to lead me off before I heard the tiny blond woman calling back to me.

"You'll get used to it."

- - -

"Don't you two take notes?"

The female officer inquired, looking back at me skeptically as I stood dumbfounded and embarrassed. My "partner" hadn't said much to me, let alone distinguished our roles. It was then I realized I was just supposed to figure it out all on my own. While he was stalking around the body and crime scene, sputtering detail after detail and waiting for responses, I was merely watching. Consufed, enthralled, shocked all at once. And when I gave my opinion, my take on it all, he looked up at me painfully as if I had just told him his dog had died.

Moments later, he quickly tucked a thesaurus into a stack of books on the shelf to try and fool the suspect. Amused and in awe, I just watched him work. It was then he first referred to me as his "partner" but the way he paused, he almost choked on his words before continuing.

Our one case quickly turned to many as I soon realized that not only was the work tougher at Major Case, but the case load was greater. And yet, somehow, I watched cases open and shut - this man, this mind, so foreign to everyone else and so brilliant and tactful. I'd never seen someone so rightly employed. And I tried, God help me, to keep up with him and offer the right information at the right time, but we never found our rhythm.

Even before she'd gone on full leave and was desk-ridden, his partner offered more to him than I ever could in months of being right there with him. While I would listen to him go on and on about the tiniest details and most obscure facts, she'd just nod and smile and continue whatever it was she was doing. And while I was busy trying to process all his new information, she'd nonchalantly continue the thought and add something on for him to springboard off of. And that was how it was while she was around - me clinging to his shirttails and her flowing perfectly.

My insights were always chalked up to be quick and easy, cheap and required too much processing time to be of much use. Ah, but hers? They were listened to, digested, treasured. And usually right. They would talk for a few minutes, and then sit in silence, almost like a telepathic communication no one else could hear. And they'd start back up again talking, both having somehow come to the same conclusion.

I was envious.

I would take whatever came out of his mouth with more weight than anything else and try to understand it and how it linked together with everything. I would cling to his words and process them slowly.

She would expect them and know them. She would hold onto them for only a moment or two before tossing her own back at him. And they would smile at one another and declare some subtle victory. And as he would rise to race off and investigate their new lead, he would look down at her heart-broken. She would just smile and shrug and tell him to "Get going." It happened too often for either of their likings.

When she was gone, too pregnant to even come into work, that look stayed plastered to his face the whole day through. Hopeless and heart-broken. And, trust me, I knew it was nothing personal. He was a reserved man, an introspective one and took no time to "get to know me" or I him. It wasn't until everything else around him failed and he crumbled in on himself did I finally see what I had walked in on. An unbreakable bond, not something that could have been simply forged over three years, but something that existed between two people for reasons unknown. They had a rhythm unlike no other and knew each other better than any other person could. Their connection was intimate, it was deep and here I was, trying to fit in like the geek at the popular girls table. In the end, I was just a temp and there to keep him just stable enough.

When all was said and done and I was packing up my temporary desk to head back to my respective precinct, the now slimmer and blonder woman leaned up against the metal desk.

"Heard you two had some fun." she smirked at me through her dry humor, "Glad to have him out of your hair?"

"Glad to be getting back to my own squad." I shrugged, as if saying _I handled him just fine, thank you very much._ "But I'm sure he's glad you're back."

Her brow creased and she crossed her arms, looking back to their joined desks where he sat, scrolling through an open browser window, "He spoke highly of you, you know. Said you're a good detective and wouldn't be surprised if you got that transfer."

I was more than a little shocked, not once had he paid me a compliment. Not once had he even acted like I was anything more than a piece of furniture to talk to, and here he was, telling his partner he thought I was a _good _detective. And here she was, hinting at recommendations. Last day on the job and he was still surprising me.

"Tell him I appreciate that," I smiled at her and picked up my box of various nicknacks, "But I actually think I'm going to stay with homicide for a bit longer. I could use the experience."

She just wished me good luck and sent me on my way. In the end, I learned from him and learned from myself. Hell, I even learned a thing or two from his partner. About being a police officer and a woman and a human being. About the world and people and just how wicked they can be. Or how extraordinary. I was a temp, a fill-in, and sure, a piece of furniture, and I understand that now. I stepped in between a connection that couldn't be broken and never was.


End file.
